Tornado Reanalysis
This page is for underrated or overrated tornado ratings. If you want to add a tornado, just contact an admin and they can add it. When you add a reanalysis, put it under the correct decade and in order. Then, have the areas where it mainly struck and the date; For example: Mayflower/Vilonia, Arkansas (4-27-2014). Then, have the warranted rating; For example; EF5 200-205 mph and the Actual rating; For Example; EF4 190 mph. Then, add a paragraph or two of your own words why it should be the rating you typed it for. If you can find images, upload them so users can voice their opinions. Beginning of time-1900 WIP 1900-1950 WIP 1950-2000 Worcester, Massachusetts (6/9/1953) (BengalsFan) Warranted Rating: F5 >261 MPH Actual Rating: F4 206-259 MPH This tornado is likely 1 of 2 violent tornadoes in the Northeast (3 if you include Wheatland.) This tornado was an extremely violent tornado, that likely caused F5 damage along its path. Thomas P. Grazulis, stated that the damage caused by this tornado warranted an F5 rating. Many tenant apartment buildings were completely leveled, and the Uncatena-Great Brook Valley neighborhoods were completely leveled, and the tornado likely reached F5 strength in these areas. The tornado killed 94 people, and was rated F4, though many people think the damage warrants an F5 rating. This tornado is one of the great examples of the NWS being the NWS, and this tornado should've received an F5 rating, as many homes were swept away, and the damage of this tornado is unparalleled in the Northeast, except for that of the event below. This was part of the outbreak that produced the Flint, Michigan tornado. After this outbreak, the SPC was formed, and since this outbreak, only 1 tornado has killed 100+ people in the US. Homes were also swept away in this event, and in multiple locations along its track. The deaths in this event have only been exceeded by 1 other event in the US, since this event occurred. There is no way this event did not produce F5 damage along its path, and its location is one that tornadoes aren't all that common. If this tornado had hit today, the damage would've easily exceeded that of this event, and it would've likely warranted an EF5 rating, and the deaths could've exceeded that of this event. This is a reminder that no part of the country (east of the Rockies) are safe from weather (with the possible exception of West Virginia). An event like this will happen again, and the consequences could be even more severe. Windsor Locks, Connecticut '(10/3/1979) (SuperDestructiveTwister) Warranted Rating: F5 >261 mph Actual Rating: F4 206-259 mph This tornado was one of 2 F4 tornadoes recorded in Connecticut after 1950. The tornado is generally accepted to have been a high-end F4, but some of the damage takes an F5 rating into consideration. One home was mostly swept away, but the structural integrity of the home is unknown. Another home was completely destroyed, and the trees and the property were severely debarked and denuded. The tornado struck the Bradley Air Museum at peak intensity. The building itself escaped a direct hit, but the airfield sustained the full force of the tornado. 16 airplanes were damaged or destroyed, with several being completely mangled and ripped apart. According to one source, one of these aircraft weighed 100 tons. Other aircraft destroyed included a 4 engine, turbine aircraft that had one of its wings snapped off and cockpit smashed in, and a very large military transport aircraft that had both of its wings broken off, and was snapped into 3 pieces and carried tens of yards. Over 100 other homes were completely destroyed, but none of them were swept away. 2000-Present '''Harper, Kansas '(5-12-2004) (TheWeatherGuy) Warranted Rating: F5 >261 mph Actual Rating: F4, 207-260 mph May 12 was an unusual day in southern Kansas; 14 tornadoes touched down across the area. While this day is mostly known for the day of a famously filmed F2 tornado that struck Attica, Kansas, there was a lesser-known, more violent tornado that struck near the town of Harper, in the late evening. This tornado was extremely violent at its peak. It had a very narrow path, and wasn't on the ground long, but the damage it left behind was incredible. The nighttime tornado struck one farmstead, literally wiping it off the face of the earth. Every single building on the farmstead was swept away; this included a well-built, anchor-bolted, 2-story farmhouse that was obliterated and swept clean, leaving only the basement behind. Trees on the property were completely debarked, and severe ground scouring took place. Several cars at this location were completely wrecked, including one found wrapped around a tree that lost much of its frame and engine. Several large pieces of farm equipment were also mangled as well. Amazingly, the family living in the farmhouse survived, with only 1 person suffering a minor injury. Despite the extreme damage, NWS Wichita rated the tornado as a high-end F4. This was because the tornado was apparently very slow-moving, which may have exacerbated the destruction to some extent. This was the most underrated tornado of the whole decade of 2000-2009, and has one of the most controversial ratings of all time, in my opinion. If the slow-movement of the tornado had exacerbated the destruction, then why did other slow-moving tornadoes such as Bowdle, South Dakota, or Bennington, Kansas, not have the same level of destruction as Harper? The latter of the 2 even looped over its own track, yet still, the damage was nowhere near as extreme as Harper. To me, the slow movement of a tornado does not affect the damage it does. Meteorologist Chance Hayes, who was on the survey team for NWS Wichita and surveyed the Harper tornado, has said that he now expresses regret for rating the tornado high-end F4. '''Granbury, Texas (5-15-2013) (DixieAlley) Warranted Rating: EF5 200 mph Actual Rating: EF4 180 mph WIP Mayflower/Vilonia, Arkansas (4-27-2014) (DixieAlley) Warranted Rating: EF5 200-205 mph Actual Rating: EF4 180-190 mph The year 2014 saw a total of 7 violent tornadoes during its annual tornado season. All 7 violent tornadoes being rated EF4, 5 of them occurred in Mid-June, while the remaining two occurred in late April. One in particular was considered the strongest of the season, and has been subject to debate on whether it was an EF4, or and EF5. The Mayflower/Vilonia tornado is officially rated high-end EF4 with winds ranging from 180-190 mph. The rating was and still is a major source of controversy, and meteorologist/civil engineer Timothy P. Marshall noted that the rating assigned was "lower-bound", and also noted "the possibility that EF5 winds could have occurred," despite the structural flaws responsible for the EF4 rating. Arguments for the tornado's rating point to the damage which occurred in the Parkwood Meadows subdivision in northern Vilonia, where several homes were swept clean from their foundations, typically indicative of EF5 strength. However, the EF4 rating surfaces due to poor construction of the homes in the subdivision. Albeit appearing to be well-built homes, surveys found cut nails around the perimeters of these foundations, rather than anchor bolts. The presence of anchor bolts on a foundation are a key factor when determining the difference between EF4 and EF5 tornadoes. However, one of theses homes was well-bolted to its foundation, and extensive wind-rowing of debris was also noted. Trees were completely debarked and denuded, shrubs were shredded and debarked, and vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards and stripped down to their frames. A large 29,998-pound metal fertilizer tank was found approximately 3/4 of a mile away from where it originated. Extensive ground scouring occurred as well. All possible indicators of the presence of EF5 winds. However, the rating stands as a high-end EF4. Rochelle/Fairdale, Illinois (4-9-2015) (TheWeatherGuy) Warranted Rating: EF5, 205 mph Actual Rating: EF4, 200 mph The year 2015 only had 3 tornadoes that were officially given a rating of EF4. 2 of these were in December, and both were given 170 mph, making them a low-end EF4 tornado. However, earlier in the year, one of the most violent tornadoes to ever hit Illinois struck far west of the Chicago area. The extremely violent, long tracked tornado struck near the town of Rochelle and made a direct hit on the community of Fairdale, leaving behind extensive damage. The Rochelle tornado occurred on April 9, 2015, the only violent tornado of the 2015 spring severe weather season. The tornado swept away many anchor-bolted houses, severely scoured and ground, and heavily debarked numerous trees. At the Deer Creek Subdivision near Rochelle, many large and well-built houses were leveled and swept clean from their foundations. At one of the houses, a concrete walkway was pulled a few inches from its original location. Severe ground scouring also took place at this subdivision, and wind-rowing of debris occurred. Further down the path, the tornado swept away a row of 5 houses, all of which were bolted to their foundations. At a farmstead further down the path, a well-built metal barn was completely swept away, and a reinforced concrete silo was leveled. A farmhouse on this property was also completely swept away, and trees were heavily debarked. Intense ground scouring was also present in this area. Despite the intense damage, the tornado was rated by NWS Chicago as a high-end EF4 tornado with winds of 200 mph. This was due to the fact that some of the first homes had missing washers on their bolts. The row of 5 homes swept away were of cinder-block construction, which apparently do not provide as much resistance as an actual concrete foundation. As for the farmstead, NWS Chicago gave no reason for high-end EF4 at that location. The farmstead should have been the 1 thing to give Rochelle it's EF5 rating, in my opinion. The farmstead was virtually swept clean, with absolutely nothing remaining except for bare slabs and debarked trees. EF4s don't wipe clean entire farmsteads. Category:Tornadoes Category:Tornado Reanalysis Category:Tornado Reanalysis